1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to protective cases for musical instruments, and, in particular, to protective cases for string instruments.
2. General Background of the Invention
String instruments such as violins, violas, and violoncellos often increase in value with age. The sound of instruments crafted by the Italian masters of the 17th and 18th centuries, for example, is unsurpassed by modern imitations, and instruments of that time are priceless and irreplaceable treasures, carefully guarded by those artists fortunate enough to own them. Even contemporary string instruments, hand crafted over several months in an arduous process by an ever-shrinking number of specialized artisans, generally have a high value.
Obviously, these instruments, made of thin wood at times hundreds of years of age, are quite delicate and prone to damage. Most damage to such instruments occurs during transportation. Accordingly, protective cases have always been used to prevent damage to the instrument during storage or transportation. Usually, these cases consist of a base part and a top part, connected by a hinge mechanism. A typical case features a sturdy exterior and a padded interior space, located in the base part, into which the instrument is placed. The top part of the case is then closed, and the case is locked. Unfortunately, these cases fail to reliably prevent damage to the instrument. While the padding typically used will significantly attenuate any outside forces directed against the case from a lateral direction, forces applied to the case from the front or the back will be directly transmitted to the sound board or the back of the instrument. These areas, however, are the most sensitive parts of string instruments. It is only by virtue of the slightly arched form of the sound board and the back that these structures can support the immense pressure exerted by the strings, and transmitted onto the sound board via the bridge. Any additional sudden force frequently leads to longitudinal cracks in the sound board. While such cracks can be repaired by qualified craftsmen, they may lead to a permanent reduction in the quality of sound of the instrument, and to a reduction of its value.
A variety of inventors have attempted to limit the possible damage to instruments by offering an improved design for a protective case:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,909 of Markov, issued May 1, 1979, describes a triangular shape for an instrument carrying case, allowing it to be stored in an erect position. While the triangular design, as the inventor points out, limits possible damage due to snow, rain, or falling objects, it does not offer improved protection against any impact affecting the sound board or the back of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,632, issued to Weber on Jul. 30, 1985, offers an adjustable compartment allowing adaptation to the body length of a particular string instrument. Resilient pads selectively support the back of the instrument at its top and its bottom parts. Tie down straps secure the instrument at its neck. While this invention provides some improvement over previous designs, the resilient pads described protect the back, but not the far more delicate front portion of the instrument, which features the sound board and the bridge. Moreover, support of the back only at its top and bottom portions, with the entire middle and the side portions of the back held above the bottom of the case, may render the back quite vulnerable to the indirect transmission of applied forces, especially at its central portion. In addition, the securement of the instrument through tie down straps at its neck will not prevent the body of the instrument from colliding with the interior of the case.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,804 of Flynn, issued Feb. 29, 2000, describes an instrument carrying case featuring a temperature and humidity control system. While this invention will limit damage due to excesses in temperature or humidity, damage due to a sudden outside force acting upon the case will not be affected by the design.